Plantation Forests: Potential and Impacts in Europe

New EFI study

Peter Freer-Smith

ThinkForest, 17 December 2019, International Press Centre, Brussels

Background & key question

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• Globally forest area continues to decline, but plantations increasing in Europe

• Due to poor practice and poor community engagement plantations often been viewed negatively (e.g., monoculture, biodiversity)

• Global demand for timber predicted to increase, but uncertainties related to projections

Is plantation forestry currently meeting its full potential to deliver European environmental and socioeconomic policies, particularly targets on climate mitigation and for the developing bioeconomy?

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We asked:How can we optimize the contribution of plantation forestry to delivery of Europe’s environmental and socio-economic policies?

The good news: Strong science evidence!

Study builds on four country case studies and one site example

Country case studies: Ireland, Sweden, Italy and Georgia

Site analysis: planted oak in Zoniënwoud in Belgium

Report examins:Sustaining productionManaging risk, improving adaptationSafeguards and ecosystem servicesSocial and governance aspectsOutlook for the future

ItalyTypical silvicultural system: poplar on a 10-year rotation

IrelandTypical silvicultural system: Sitka spruce on a 34-year rotation

SwedenTypical silvicultural system: Norway spruce on a 80-year rotation

GeorgiaTypical silvicultural system: Scots pine on a 150-year rotation

• A broad range of plantation systems are available. More intense forestry systems have lower impacts per functional unit

• This supports using Land sharing (multifunctionality) and land sparing(areas of separate function) with forest plantations and agroforesty as integrated components of landscape scale restoration and management

• Evidence shows how diversity of design (spp choice) and management, and use of species mixtures reduces risks of plantation forestry

• Even when focused on wood provision, plantations can contribute strongly to regulatory, biodiversity and socioeconomic functions, especially carbon sequestration.

What we learned

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What we learned

• Acknowledge stakeholder perceptions in the design and management of forestry programmes

• Plantations can be highly effective in enhancing ecological integrity, in bringing degraded land back into production and in tackling climate change and environmental challenges.

• Well managed plantations can sustainably supply goods and services to society, allowing other forest areas to be conserved

• The use of forest plantations enables design, choice of genetic material and manage to adapt to climate change, limit pests and pathogens, and achieve a balance of ecosystem services

• Plantation forestry plays significant role in delivering Europe’s environmental and economic policies. Further investments can enhance these contributions.

• To mitigate risks to plantation forests, forest management needs to adapt: - increase plantation diversity - increase resilience and sustainability using science-based incentives &

regulations - landscape scale diversity/multifunctionality - land sharing and land sparing- genetic conservation plan

Policy recommendations

Policy recommendations• Design and manage plantation forestry to deliver climate

mitigation, biodiversity, recreation and protection of natural forests

• Need to achieve a “new equilibrium” across the entire value chain - from landscape design, plantation establishment and management through to delivery of products and services.

• Research, policies and strategies should take into account environmental impacts, the balance of ecosystem services and the full range of stakeholder views

• There is no “one-size-fits all solution”, need to tailor measures to regionally different situations in Europe

Thank you!Further info: pfreersmith@ucdavis.edu

European Forest Institutewww.thinkforest.efi.int